Craps Dictionary - Glossary of Terms, Jargon and Slang

If you have ever played craps, you may have heard many strange and odd terms used throughout the game. This page will serve as a dictionary of sorts with a glossary of terms listed in alphabetical order. Normally, craps terms describe a specific bet or a range of different bets. Some of these words are also just plain jargon used by experience craps players and the dealers during announcements. We will try to list each word in bold and then list the definition of what each term is. We also apologize ahead of time if there is a word not listed here.

Any Craps - This is a type of bet where the player wagers for a craps on the next roll. A craps is a roll of a 2, 3, or 12. House edge: 11.1% Payout: 7:1.

Any Seven - Another kind of bet that the next roll will be a seven. 7 is the most probable number to roll. House edge: 16.7% Payout: 4:1.

Back Line - This is a jargon word and the meaning is equivalent to the "don't pass line".

Base Dealer - A type of dealer at the craps table. Typically there are two base dealers that are in charge of placing bets and paying out chips to players on the two betting areas on both sides of the table.

Buy Bets - A buy bet is a special bet players can make after the point is established on a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. You are essentially betting on one of these numbers being rolled before the 7. Players must also pay a 5% commission for the house to establish the correct odds. Otherwise there would be even odds. Also note that this rule varies depending on the casino. Some casinos take in commission only on winning bets and others take it automatically on any buy bet.

Big 6 - Big 8 - On this bet, players wager that a six or eight will be rolled before a 7. House edge: 9.1% Payout: 1:1 even money. Also, there is a place bet that players can make on these same numbers but it pays out higher at 7:6 odds and has a lower house edge of 1.5%

Big Red - This is a simple straight up bet that a 7 will be thrown on the next roll.

Boxcars - A slang jargon word for a twelve being rolled. This consists of sixes on each die. The design and pattern on the dice looked like boxcars and that is how the slang became common. This is also one of the two least common rolls to make.

Boxman - Typically, this is one of the 4 dealers that manage the craps table. The boxman usually stands in the middle of the table and guards the chips. The boxman also stands directly across from the stickman position of the table.

Come Box - This is a physical area on the craps table where players put their chips on the "come bet"

Come Bet - Another wager that is almost like the pass line bet. A player makes this bet after a come out roll that when the dice are rolled, they will pass with the same pass line rules.

Come Out Roll - This is typically the roll that begins a round of betting. This determines who wins the pass line bets, don't pass bets and it also establishes the point for the rest of the round.

Crap - This is typical jargon that represents the numbers 2, 3 and 12.

Crap Out - If you roll one of the crap numbers during the come out roll, this is known as crapping out.

Dealer - These are the people working at the casino as employees. In craps, there are usually 4 dealers at the table. One boxman, one stickman and two base dealers.

Don't Come Bet - This bet is almost the opposite of the come bet except that you are betting that the dice will not pass. Also, this bet is made once the come out roll as been made. Outside of that, it is identical to they don't pass line bet.

Don't Pass Line - A physical area of the craps table where players place their don't pass bets.

Don't Pass Bet - This bet is almost the opposite of the pass line bet. A player wins if a craps is thrown on the come out roll (2, 3, or 12). Usually the player ties if a 12 is thrown though. The player losses if a 7 or 11 is rolled on the come out. After the point is established, the player wins if a 7 is rolled before a point number. This bet actually has slightly better odds than the pass line bet and is also one of the best bets in the house, especially if an odds bet is made after the point is thrown. House edge on just this bet is 1.40%

Edge - This is the house edge or advantage that the casino as over the players. Typically, this can be thought of as the casino profit margin or how much money you will lose in the long run. The larger the edge, the worse odds you have.

Field Bet - These are straight up type of bets on a single number. Players can bet on the numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12 being the next number rolled. Usually, the payouts are 2:1 for the numbers 2 and 12 and even 1:1 payout for the other numbers. Sometimes the casino will pay 3:1 odds for 2 and 12.

Free Odds Bet - These are perhaps the best bets in the casino and in the game. They may be placed only after a point has been established and as an addition to any of the Do/Don't Pass/Come line bets. Typically, free odds bets are wagered in multiples of the original line bets and can sometimes are usually in multiples of 1X, 2X, 3X, 5X, 10X, 20X, 50X and even 100X. These bets pay true odds, which have a 0% house edge.

Front Line - Slang word for the pass line

Hard Way Bet - A bet that both dice will have the same number and it will be rolled before a soft roll or a 7. For example, a Hard 6 would have each dice showing a 3, both adding up to 6. A soft 6 would be anything else that would add up to a 6, such as a 1 and a 5.

Horn Bet - This is a wager that the next roll of the dice will total up to 2, 3, 11 or 12.

Juice - Another name for "Vig" or the commission that must be paid on a lay or buy bet.

Lay Bet - This wager is opposite of the buy bet. Players can place chips on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. Except this time you are betting that a 7 will be rolled before these six numbers. Again, players must pay a 5% commission to the house.

Lay Odds - This bet is basically the same as the free odds bet. It pays out correct true odds and there is no house edge, making it one of the best bets in any casino game. This is sometimes called "laying the odds" if you are doing "don't" pass/come bet.

Layout - This is the general physical area of the craps table that displays all of the areas where bets can be made.

Off - A type of marker that is placed on the bets that do have any risk of what happens on each next roll of the dice.

One Roll Bet - These are bets that expire after one roll of the dice. They are good only for the next roll. For example, betting that the next roll is a 7.

Pass Line Bet - This is one of the most common bets made where players can place bets on the pass line, which is an area physically displayed on the craps table. This bet can only be made before the come out roll at the beginning of a new round. The player automatically losses if a craps is rolled (2, 3, or 12) and wins if a 7 or 11 is rolled. If a point is established, the player wins if the point is rolled before a seven. House Edge: 1.41%

Place Bet - Players can bet on the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 at any time. The player wins if the place number is rolled before a 7. House edge for 4 and 10: 6.67%, house edge for 5 and 9: 4% and house edge for 6 and 8: 1.52%

Point - If the round doesn't end automatically during the come out roll, the remaining numbers 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 will be established as the "point". After the point is determined, the round will end if the point number or a 7 is rolled afterwards.

Press a Bet - This is similar to "letting it ride" or going "double or nothing" after you win a previous bet.

Proposition Bets - Between the two identical layouts on each side of the table is a proposition bets area in the center of the table. These usually have one roll bets and contain the horn bets. Typically, these bets have the worst odds in the game.

Puck (Disk) - The puck is a type of marker that gets placed on the craps table with an On or Off side to it. The disk indicates "off" before the come out roll and it gets turned over to "on" when a point has been established.

Right Bettor - A player is known as a "right" bettor when they are wagering on the pass bet or with the shooter. When they wager against the shooter, they are known as a "wrong" bettor.

Shooter - Anyone who rolls the dice. This can be a player or a dealer who can roll them.

Seven Out - After the point has been established, a 7 can be rolled and thus ends the round. This is known as seven out.

Stickman - One of the four dealers who is positioned at the middle of the table across from the boxman. The stickman's job is to collect the dice with a stick and announces the results of the rolled dice. They also manage proposition bets that are placed in the middle of the table.

Snake Eyes - This is a jargon word for a roll of a hard 2, which consists of two 1s. Each die has 1 dot on them, making them look sort of like eyes, hence the term snake eyes.

Taking Odds - The act of making an odds bet.

Toking - This is another name for tipping the dealer.

True Odds - This is the actual probability odds of rolling a number. This should not be confused with house odds or payout odds. For instance, the true odds of rolling a 12 is 1 in 36.

Vigorish (Vig) - Also the same thing as the commission that must be paid to the house on buy bets, lay bets and other types of bets.

Working Bets - These are live bets currently in play.

Wrong Bettor - This is a type of player that bets against the shooter and typically bets on the don't pass bets.

Yo - This is a name for the number 11. If you are betting on "Yo", then you would be wagering on rolling an 11.